Portsmouth is compact and mostly manageable on wheels. Park in the Hanover Street Garage (18 accessible spaces). At Strawbery Banke, the Visitors Center and restrooms are fully accessible, seven historic houses have ramps, and three transfer chairs are lent free. Prescott Park has good sidewalks and curb cuts. For lunch, places like Row 34, Flatbread and Martingale Wharf have step-free entry and accessible restrooms. Use the Walk 'n' Roll map from Access Navigators for a tested route.
Portsmouth is New Hampshire's prettiest small city: brick streets, a working harbor, old houses and a lot of good food packed into a downtown you can cross in a few minutes. It is a short drive north of Hampton Beach, and an easy day out when the beach is too hot or too busy.
It is also an old city. Many buildings are centuries old, and old buildings mean steps, narrow doors and upstairs dining rooms. The good news is that a local group, Access Navigators, has done the legwork, visiting venues and noting entrances and restrooms. Much of this guide draws on their work and on the museums' own access pages.
Accessible parking in Portsmouth
Access Navigators lists these garages and lots with accessible spaces:
| Garage or lot | Accessible spaces | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Hanover Street Parking Garage | 18 | Market Square, Congress St, most restaurants |
| Worth Lot | 5 | Downtown and Ceres St |
| Prescott Park lot | 5 | Prescott Park, Strawbery Banke |
| Parrott Ave Lot | 4 | South end of downtown |
| Bridge St Lot | 2 | Hanover St area |
| Memorial Bridge lot | 2 | The waterfront |
| Water St (at Marcy St and the dead end) | 1 and 2 | Prescott Park, Strawbery Banke |
Strawbery Banke recommends the Hanover Street Garage, the Foundry Place Garage and Pierce Island as public parking for the museum. Rates are set by the city and posted at each garage.
Strawbery Banke Museum
Strawbery Banke is an outdoor history museum in the old Puddle Dock neighbourhood, at 14 Hancock Street. You wander between historic houses and gardens, each from a different century. It has some of the most detailed access information of any attraction in the state.
Parking and arrival
- The on-site lot is free, first come, first served and small. It has three accessible spaces, including two for wheelchair vans.
- You can pull up to the entrance to drop someone off.
- A brick path leads from the lot to the Lawrence J. Yerdon Visitors Center.
- For big events (Ghosts on the Banke, Candlelight Stroll) there is no on-site parking, so use a garage.
Getting around the grounds
- The grounds are relatively flat, but some unpaved dirt paths can be hard on wheels.
- Three transfer chairs are available first come, first served. A transfer chair needs someone to push it.
- Ramps lead into Goodwin Mansion, Shapiro House, Yeaton House, William Pitt Tavern, Abbott House, Shapley-Drisco-Pridham House and Penhallow-Cousins House. The museum lists ramp and door widths on its access page; for example, the Goodwin ramp is 44½ inches wide and its door 33½ inches.
- Most second floors are stairs only.
Restrooms
The Visitors Center has ADA-compliant men's and women's restrooms with changing tables. Jefferson House has a gender-inclusive accessible restroom reached by a ramp.
Season: self-guided visits for 2026 have ended and resume on May 1, 2027. General admission is good for two days in a row. Call 603-433-1100 for events and tickets.
Bring your own chair, guaranteed
Museum loaner chairs are first come, first served. Rent a light, folding transport chair or wheelchair from our Hampton Beach shop and you have one all day, from the car to the museum to dinner. Transport chairs from $25 a day.
Prescott Park and the waterfront
Prescott Park sits on the Piscataqua River, across Marcy Street from Strawbery Banke. It has formal gardens, lawns and two piers over the water.
- Entrances on State Street and Marcy Street. Access Navigators rates the sidewalks and curb cuts as good.
- Walkways are a mix of paved and gravel. Stick to the paved paths with narrow wheels.
- The Prescott Park lot has five accessible spaces.
Restaurants with good access
These places were rated by Access Navigators as having a good entrance and an accessible restroom. It is not a complete list, and things change, so call if it matters.
Row 34
Seafood5 Portwalk Place. A 12-foot sloped indoor ramp.
Martingale Wharf
Waterfront99 Bow St. Use the Bow Street entrance, the only accessible one. Very accessible restrooms.
Flatbread Company
Pizza138 Congress St, close to the Hanover St Garage.
110 Grill
American103 Hanover St, across from the garage. Ramped corridor to the restroom.
Puddle Dock Restaurant
Near the museum66 Marcy St. A long entry ramp, shared with Strawbery Banke's Shapley-Drisco House.
Oar House
Classic55 Ceres St, on the harbor, with its own parking.
Others on the list include BRGR Bar (34 Portwalk Place), Café Mediterraneo (119 Congress St), Jumpin Jay's (150 Congress St), Bennett's Sandwich Shop (41 Congress St) and Rudi's (5 Congress St, accessible spot by the rear door).
Places with limited access
Access Navigators flags these as hard or impossible with a wheelchair, at least in parts:
- Durbar Square: main dining room upstairs, no elevator.
- River House: waterfront dining is up stairs; ask about the Bow Street side ramp.
- Otto: the upper dining level is not accessible.
- Starbucks, Market Square: a lip at the front door and steps at the side.
- Portsmouth Athenaeum: front step and a steep rear ramp; call ahead on 603-431-2538.
Theatres and shows
- The Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St: a house wheelchair to borrow, and an elevator to the orchestra level (not the balcony).
- Seacoast Repertory Theatre, 125 Bow St: call the box office on 603-433-4472 about accessible seats.
A day in Portsmouth from Hampton Beach
- 9:30am: pick up a chair or scooter at our shop on Ashworth Ave, Hampton Beach.
- 10am: drive north on Route 1A along the coast, or take I-95 for speed.
- 10:30am: park at the Hanover Street Garage or, for the museum, the Strawbery Banke lot.
- 11am to 1pm: Strawbery Banke in season, starting at the Visitors Center.
- 1pm: lunch at Puddle Dock Restaurant or on Congress St.
- Afternoon: the gardens and piers at Prescott Park, then back to the beach.
Accessible Portsmouth: FAQ
Is downtown Portsmouth, NH wheelchair accessible?
Much of it is. Downtown is compact and the main streets have sidewalks and curb cuts, though some older brick sidewalks are uneven and some historic buildings have steps. Access Navigators publishes a user-tested, barrier-free loop through downtown called the Walk 'n' Roll map.
Where is accessible parking in Portsmouth, NH?
The Hanover Street Parking Garage has 18 accessible spaces, according to Access Navigators. The Worth Lot and the Prescott Park lot have 5 each, the Parrott Ave lot has 4, and there are smaller numbers at the Bridge Street lot, the Memorial Bridge lot and on Water Street.
Is Strawbery Banke wheelchair accessible?
Partly. The Visitors Center and its restrooms are fully accessible, the grounds are relatively flat, and seven historic houses have ramps. Most upper floors are stairs only, and some dirt paths can be hard going. Three transfer chairs are lent first come, first served.
Does Strawbery Banke have accessible parking?
Yes. The free on-site lot at 14 Hancock Street has three accessible spaces, two of them for wheelchair vans, and you can pull up to the entrance to drop someone off.
When is Strawbery Banke open?
Self-guided visits to the historic houses and gardens run in the regular season. The 2026 season has ended and visits resume on May 1, 2027. Seasonal events run at other times; call 603-433-1100.
Does the Music Hall in Portsmouth lend wheelchairs?
Yes. Access Navigators reports a house wheelchair you can borrow, and an elevator to the orchestra level. The balcony is not served by the elevator.
Keep planning
Sources
Checked November 11, 2026. Venues and towns change their rules; the official source always wins. Spot something out of date? Let us know.